The Real Jesus of the Four Gospels Part 14

"Blessed are the peace-makers; for they shall be called the children of G.o.d" (Matt. V:9).

"Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way; first be reconciled with thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift" (Matt. V:23, 24).

"Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him"

(Matt. V:25).

"But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Matt. V:39).

"But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you" (Matt. V:44).

"But if ye forgive not men their trespa.s.ses, neither will your Father forgive your trespa.s.ses" (Matt. VI:15).

"But seek ye first the kingdom of G.o.d and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. VI:33).

"Judge not, that ye be not judged" (Matt. VII:1).

"Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote of thy brother's eye" (Matt.

VII:5).

"Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this _is the Law and the prophets_"

(Matt:VII:12).

As to those who heard His sayings and did them not, He speaks no stronger condemnation than to compare them to the foolish man who built his house on the sand (Matt. VII:24-27).

Compare with these the following excerpts from His later preachings:

"Verily I say unto you that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of G.o.d before you" (Matt. XXI:31).

"And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder" (Matt. XXI:44).

"Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnas.h.i.+ng of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen" (Matt.

XXII:13,14).

"But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites" (Matt. XXIII:13, 14, 15).

"Ye fools and blind" (Matt. XXIII:17, 23, 24).

"Ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness" (Matt. XXIII:27).

"Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the d.a.m.nation of h.e.l.l?" (Matt. XXIII:33).

"That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth"

(Matt. XXIII:35).

"And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days" (Matt. XXIV:19).

"Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left" (Matt. XXIV:40).

"And shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites; there shall be weeping and gnas.h.i.+ng of teeth" (Matt.

XXIV:51).

"And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnas.h.i.+ng of teeth" (Matt. XXV:30).

"Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. XXV:41).

[36] It is impossible for one not versed in the subtleties of Jewish religious ceremonies to understand the references in the four Gospels to the feast of unleavened bread and of the Pa.s.sover. They do not seem to correspond with the somewhat intricate ritual given in the Old Testament (Ex. XII:1-20). If the Crucifixion occurred in the year A.D. 33, as the authorities generally agree, then the feast of the Pa.s.sover began on the evening of Friday, the day after this supper and the day of the Crucifixion. This agrees with John's statements (John XIII:1; XVIII:28; XIX:14-31). But the other three Gospels speak of the supper on Thursday, as being the eating of the Pa.s.sover.

[37] This strife is also given by Luke as of an earlier date (Luke IX:46). (See also Matt. XVIII:1; Mark IX:34; Mark X:35; Matt. XX:24).

[38] Mark tells of a "certain young man" who followed Jesus, until he was driven away by the soldiers (Mark XIV:51, 52). He is not identified, and apparently appears only at this place in the four Gospels.

[39] The motive of Judas in this transaction seems destined to remain an unsettled controversy. Was he simply a traitor, seeking to sell his Lord and Master for a price? Or was he a religious zealot, trying to force Jesus' hand? It has been already noted that the apostles, even at this late date, were expecting the immediate coming of Jesus' kingdom on earth and the installation of themselves into the chief offices of that kingdom (Luke XIX:11; XXII:24). Did Judas, in his supreme confidence in his Master's supernatural powers, feel convinced that, if once a contest were precipitated between the Pharisees and Jesus, the latter would exert those powers and utterly confound His enemies?

The most inexplicable thing in the whole transaction is its utter futility, both on the side of Judas and of the Pharisees also. On other visits to Jerusalem, Jesus had kept His movements more or less secret (John VIII:59; XI:54). But on this last visit there was not the slightest attempt at concealment. His entry into Jerusalem was attended by a great mult.i.tude, shouting and acclaiming Him (Matt. XXI:1-10; Mark XI:1-10; Luke XIX:30-40). His cleansing of the temple was an open and public act (Matt. XXI:12-14; Mark XI:15; Luke XIX:45, 46). Every day He taught openly in the temple (Luke XIX:47; XXII:53). The chief priests, elders and Pharisees were present at His teachings and argued with Him (Matt. XXI:23; Mark XI:27; Luke XX:1). They had already employed spies to follow Jesus in His preaching and note any seditious or heretical utterances (Luke XX:20). Every night Jesus and His twelve apostles went out to Bethany, coming back to Jerusalem in the morning, and the movements of so numerous a company could not have been concealed (Matt.

XXI:17, 18, 20). Jesus must have been well-known in Bethany, both because of His long friends.h.i.+p with the family of Lazarus, and because of the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead (John XI:45; XII:9).

While in Bethany, Jesus and the apostles were entertained publicly at a supper in Simon's house (John XII:2; Matt. XXVI:6). So far as an identification of Jesus was concerned, or any a.s.sistance in making His arrest, Judas' services were entirely useless to the Pharisees, and there was no occasion for spending money on him. The most conclusive evidence on this point is that of Jesus Himself. All three of the synoptics agree that Jesus protested against a mult.i.tude with their swords and staves coming out to take Him in the night-time, as though He were a thief or a fugitive from justice. As He says, "I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me" (Matt. XXVI:55; Mark XIV:49; Luke XXII:53). According to John, who is considered the most accurate of the evangelists on the events of this last week, Judas did not kiss Jesus or make any other identification of Him. On the approach of the band, Jesus comes forth and says, "Whom seek ye? They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed Him, stood with them" (John XVIII:5). The Pharisees seem to have had some trouble in procuring the proof of Jesus'

heretical sayings (Matt. XXII:15-16; Mark XII:13; Luke XI:54; Luke XX:20; Matt. XXVI:60). If Judas had offered to furnish this evidence, the bargain with the Pharisees would be understandable.

As to the pecuniary side of the transaction, Matthew is the only one who states that a bargain was made for a definite sum of money. According to the account of Mark and Luke, Judas volunteered his services, and the Pharisees "promised to give him money." John does not mention any money paid or to be paid, although he is especially bitter against Judas (John VI:64, 70, 71; XII:6; XIII:2, 27). Now, Judas was the treasurer of the apostles' company and carried the bag (John XIII:29; XII:6). If avarice were his motive, it would seem strange that he would give up this post and the possibilities of peculation which it offered, for the small sum of money he would get from the Pharisees.

Moreover, the fact that, immediately after the conviction of Jesus, Judas tendered back the money to the Pharisees, and, when they refused it, cast it down in the temple, and went out and hanged himself, tends strongly to support the theory that he was a misguided zealot (Matt.

XXVII:3-6).

Against this is the unanimous evidence of the Gospels that he was the betrayer of Jesus, and that Jesus recognized and branded him as such.

[40] This gathering was presumably the Sanhedrim, the high council of the Jews. It had jurisdiction to try and sentence Jews charged with heresy--"corruptors," blasphemers of the temple, destroyers of the true wors.h.i.+p, etc. It could not, however, execute a sentence of death (John XVIII:31). In such cases it was necessary that the sentence be confirmed by the Roman tetrarch, procurator, or other governor of the country, and the execution of the sentence be carried out by Roman soldiers.

[41] This was a trial for heredoxy under the Jewish law upon two charges, one for blasphemy of the temple, the other for blasphemy of G.o.d. Either, if proved, would warrant a sentence of death. The first was very near the truth. The charge was, "I am able to destroy the temple of G.o.d, and to build it in three days." Jesus' exact words were, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John II:19). The Jews did not understand His hidden meaning that He meant the death of His body and its resurrection in three days (John II:20, 21). The other charge was in one sense true, for Jesus had spoken of Himself as the _Son_ of G.o.d. But He had not used these words in the sense attributed to Him by the Pharisees, that He was himself G.o.d, or the equal of G.o.d. But, coupled with His failure to deny these charges, they formed a sufficient legal basis, under the Jewish law, for His conviction and sentence.

[42] The high priest evidently s.h.i.+fted his ground of attack when he brought Jesus before Pilate. The main charge here against Jesus was that He had claimed to be king of the Jews, something that had not appeared in the proceeding before the Sanhedrim. This was more of a political than a heretical crime, and one more likely to arouse the suspicion and hostility of the Romans. Jesus was entirely innocent of this crime, for He had never claimed for Himself an earthly kingdom. This, and the charges of heresy, which probably were also presented, did not make much impression on Pilate. He evidently did not think that Jesus had done anything deserving a sentence of death, and probably regarded the whole matter as one of those vexatious religious quarrels among the Jewish sectaries which were constantly arising to trouble the Roman governors of Jewry, and in which they had no interest or sympathy with either side of the controversy. But he found himself in a difficult position. This demand for Jesus' sentence was backed by all of official Jewishdom, and they presented His legal condemnation by the Sanhedrim. While Pilate was not absolutely bound to approve this sentence of the Sanhedrim, yet his refusal to do so would deeply offend the leaders of the Jewish people and quite possibly involve him in serious trouble with the authorities at Rome. Seeking a way out of this dilemma, he bethought himself of the custom of freeing a prisoner at the feast of the Pa.s.sover. He tried to induce the mult.i.tude to demand the release of Jesus, and, if there had been any difference in opinion, would undoubtedly have declared the vote in favor of Jesus. But the people were unanimous in their demand for the release of Barabbas. Then, only, he consented to confirm Jesus'

sentence, and attempted publicly to s.h.i.+ft the moral responsibility for his act to the Jewish populace.

[43] There seems to be some question as to whether Antipas was not governor at this time, instead of Herod (Matt. II:19).

[44] This Annas (or Hanan) is supposed by some authorities to be the "power behind the throne," the chief instigator of the proceedings against Jesus.

[45] Pilate evidently inflicted this punishment--milder than death--in the hope that it would pacify the Jews, and they would permit him to let Jesus escape the extreme penalty of crucifixion.

[46] From this narrative it would seem that, for one night, the sepulchre was unsealed and unguarded.

[47] It seems that it was a custom to give criminals this drink in order to, in a measure, stupefy them and lessen the pains of the crucifixion.

[48] This was probably the usual custom, unless the criminal was too weak to bear the burden.

[49] No two of these superscriptions on the cross exactly agree.

[50] None of the other Gospels mention Jesus' mother or any of the apostles as being present at the Crucifixion, and all agree that the women stood "afar off."